When I logged into facebook this morning the first thing I saw were all the lovely Father’s Day statuses. One of them asked what good memories did people have of their dads. I started to reply but soon realised I had far too much to say, so… I‘ve blogged! :-)
The memory of dad and myself that instantly sprang to mind was a time, when I was a child, where he and I stood together, hand in hand, on a clifftop at Portland Bill in Dorset, England. We were looking out to sea and marvelling at the power of the magnificent waves as they crashed onto the ancient, seaworn rocks before us, exploding like giant fireworks of frothy spray, filling the air, and our lungs, with their incredibly refreshing salty ozone.
Dad was an expert in conscious deep breathing (at least, up until recently, God rest his soul!) Anytime there was a (not always pleasant) ‘country’ smell in the air, such as just after a summer rainfall, or when we were driving past Farmer Giles’s on muck spreading day(!!), or as with this particular time on the clifftop, he would say, “Mmmm, breathe in that lovely country/sea air, it’s good for you!” and he would get us to breathe in long and deep through our noses, hold it for a few seconds, then slowly out through our mouths.
Now, “I told you so!” is one thing, as children, teenagers and adults, that we do not wish to hear from our parents… it’s funny though, when they’re gone, something, in my experience, you so often find yourself wishing you could say to them, if only they were here, is “Ah yes, you told me so!” It’s probably no coincidence that the memory of dad and myself breathing in the sea ozone was the first one that popped into my mind this morning, as I have recently been reading a good deal about the benefits of conscious breathing and appreciating the moment. And in doing so it has occurred to me often that my dad had taught me those very skills all through my childhood… but somewhere in the midst of the mayhem of maturing I had lost the art… well dad… that deep, conscious breathing malarkey… it’s really good for you… and yes, I know, you told me so!
It certainly is true, those times spent consciously breathing and absorbing the very moment you’re in are the ones that remain indelibly marked on your memory, and my moments spent consciously deep breathing with dad (along with some very tight, sincere goodbye hugs he gave me in later years (I can still feel his arms squeezing me tightly sometimes)) are some of the most vivid and enduring memories I have of him.
Today is Father’s Day and tomorrow, June 18th 2012 , would have been his 71st Birthday, but sadly he passed away a little under 2 years ago. I miss him a lot, but I’m sure he’s blissful now with mum by his side, deeply breathing in all that heavenly ozone together… and from now until the day I join them both, it is a mission of mine to consciously breathe deeply with, and hug tightly, the people who mean the most to me in this world, so that when I am gone, as with my dad and me, it will be like I’m still here with them.
Happy Fathers Day Dad!
And enjoy your Birthday tomorrow!
(Sorry but you’re not getting two blogs!)
Love you loads and please
give Mum a great big kiss from me
..xxxx
